Category Archives: Walter Thurmond III

Aug 25, 2009

These are cobbled together from interviews with Chip Kelly and selected players after tonight’s scrimmage.
QUARTERBACKS:
Jeremiah Masoli went 9-of-19 and had four passes dropped, while Nate Costa went 16-of-35 with three drops. Costa had two touchdown passes negated by penalties and one bobbled out of bounds by a receiver, and there was also a rushing touchdown negated by a penalty while Costa was at quarterback. Read more …

Aug 22, 2009

Here’s a notebook I filed Friday afternoon:
As a three-year starter and preseason all-American cornerback, Walter Thurmond III knows he may not have many passes thrown his direction this fall.
So the Oregon senior intends to do as much damage as possible when he does get the chance to see the football, on special teams. Not only is Thurmond the Ducks’ most experienced kickoff returner, he hopes to replace the departed Jairus Byrd on punt returns as well. Read more …

Aug 19, 2009

Practice concluded today with some red-zone and two-minute scenarios, and the defense got the better of them, continuing a trend this week. Jeremiah Masoli was intercepted by Walter Thurmond III and Darron Thomas threw a pick to Scott Grady in the red zone, and the field-goal kickers were only about 50-50, too.
“The defense came up big,” UO coach Chip Kelly said. Read more …

Aug 17, 2009

The Oregon defense “won” the right to wear black jerseys in what will certainly be sweltering heat Tuesday by claiming a 99-67 victory during the competition periods of today’s second practice.
The defense got the jump right off the bat in one-on-one passing drills, leading 48-24 and never being threatened. Last week, the offense pulled ahead in the final few plays of a competition day to win the black jerseys, but lost them the next day due to a lackluster effort. Read more …

Aug 7, 2009

The most buzz at practice today was reserved for running back LaMichael James and receiver Diante Jackson, who each had a few impressive moments. As Chip Kelly cautioned after the workout, however, the team was only in helmets, the defense wasn’t allowed to hit, and so you it’s really hard to do any proper evaluations. Read more …

Jun 12, 2009

The athletic department hosted its own graduation ceremony today, the final day of spring term at the university. Nine members of the football team were recognized. Attending in person were tight end Ed Dickson, placekicker Justin Dougherty, safety Titus Jackson, linebacker Riley Showalter, cornerback Walter Thurmond III and equipment manager Nathan Woods. Read more …

Jun 1, 2009

Matt Hayes of The Sporting News lists the top 25 players in the country, with Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli at No. 9. One more who thinks Masoli could enter the season as a darkhorse Heisman candidate.
Annual college football magazines are hitting the stands; I saw Athlon (the publication to which I contribute) in a couple book stores over the weekend. Read more …

May 17, 2009

Some familiar names have cropped up this weekend as I help in our coverage of the Pac-10 Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field. (Click here for a scintillating story on female distance runners from UW, by yours truly, or click here for all our coverage from the meet.)
In yesterday’s finals, UCLA receiver Nelson Rosario finished third in the long jump with a leap of 25 feet. Read more …

May 8, 2009

Here’s the two-deep based on starters from the spring game, plus injured players who may have affected it. I intended to post this earlier in the week, but obviously didn’t get to it until now; my bad. This is based on the first series for each unit last week; offensive starters and defensive backups were the White team, while defensive starters and offensive backups were the Green team. Read more …

May 3, 2009

Here’s my story from the Spring Game:
For much of Saturday afternoon, a near monsoon that descended early in Oregon’s spring football game seemed like the most noteworthy event of the day.
But as the afternoon wore on, the conditions improved, and with it the Ducks’ execution. Some 12,400 fans showed up to Autzen Stadium to watch a glorified football practice, when suddenly a game broke out. Read more …

Apr 29, 2009

The Ducks practiced in the Moshofsky Center this morning, back in shells for the first time since the first workout of the spring. That means no shoulder pads or padded pants, just helmets, jerseys and shorts. So the hitting was limited, which means they weren’t really playing football.
As far as highlights, it was the usual suspects. Read more …

Apr 27, 2009

Sticking with the theme this month, Oregon’s defense dominated today’s competition day of spring practice, winning with a cumulative score of 87-71. The defense took the lead right from the start thanks to about three picks from Walter Thurmond III in the 3-on-2 passing drill, and never surrendered the lead through the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 sessions. Read more …

Apr 24, 2009

Chip Kelly’s initial reaction to this morning’s second spring scrimmage for Oregon was that it featured “as good a defensive performance as I’ve seen,” but there were things to like on offense, too.
The Ducks scrimmaged for about two hours in Autzen Stadium, wrapping up with situational work for the two-minute offense (in which they need to score) and the four-minute offense (in which they need to protect a lead). Read more …

Apr 20, 2009

Here’s a notebook I filed out of this morning’s practice:
By the time Monday’s Oregon football practice was a few minutes old, the Ducks were down to one healthy, scholarship running back. And Chris Harper was on the move once again.
Both Remene Alston and LeGarrette Blount joined LaMichael James on the daily injury report released to media Monday, leaving Andre Crenshaw and two walk-ons to carry the load. Read more …

Far from the typical mid-spring doldrums, there was a lot to report from Oregon’s 10th of 15 spring practices today.
In the comings and goings department: Mychal Rivera has been released from his scholarship, Remene Alston is out for the rest of the spring and Chris Harper did a few drills and 11-on-11 reps at running back today. Read more …

Apr 15, 2009

The Ducks passed the halfway point of spring drills today, spending their eighth of 15 workouts in the Moshofsky Center. With Bo Thran’s knee the only major injury concern, and with last Monday’s stinker the only bad practice so far, Chip Kelly is feeling good about this month to this point.
“They’re starting to get steady, and we certainly feel positive about it right now,” Kelly said. Read more …

Apr 13, 2009

Here’s a story I filed this afternoon:
Two starters gone, and the guys next in line banged up.
With all the youth in key roles this spring, the Oregon defensive backfield’s nickname could be changed from the D-Boyz to the Wee Boyz.
Replacing rover Patrick Chung and cornerback Jairus Byrd was challenge enough, until senior Willie Glasper and junior Talmadge Jackson III came into this spring nursing injuries. Read more …

About …

Ryan Thorburn covers Oregon football for The Register-Guard. Thorburn came to Eugene from Boulder, where he covered the Denver Broncos (2000-'07) and Colorado athletic department (2007-'13) for the Daily Camera. In 2013, he won an Associated Press Sports Editors award for beat writing. Follow Ryan on Twitter @rgduckfootball.

About …

Steve Mims covers Oregon football, men's basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. He has been a sportswriter at the paper since 1999 and covered high school sports while also reporting on Oregon football in the Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl as well as men's basketball during their Elite 8 run in 2007 and trip to the Sweet 16 in 2013.